The pilot of a Cessna single-engine plane had to be rescued after crashing into Lake Winnipesaukee on Tuesday. (Courtesy)

Mass. man safe after crashing plane into Lake Winnipesaukee

By DAN SEUFERTUnion Leader Correspondent

ALTON — A pilot escaped with only mild hypothermia after his Cessna single-engine plane crashed into Lake Winnipesaukee early Tuesday afternoon.

Vadim Gayshan, 59, of Sudbury, Mass., was found at 12:50 p.m. clinging to his plane, according to the N.H. Marine Patrol.

.Gayshan was the only occupant in the plane, which went down in The Broads area of the lake in about 105 feet of water, authorities said. Rescue crews used a Type IV "throw ring" to remove him from the plane and bring him aboard the patrol boat...He was taken to Lakes Region General Hospital "suffering from cold water immersion," the marine patrol said in a news release.

Gayshan told investigators that he had flown his plane, a 2000 Cessna T206H fixed-wing single-engine craft, out of Fitchburg, Mass., and said he was looking at the ice conditions.Gayshan said he was flying over the lake at approximately 70 to 80 knots and about 300 to 400 feet above the water's surface when he started to do pilot "touch and go" exercises and misjudged his elevationThe plane's pontoon caught on the water and caused a nose-first crash, the marine patrol said...Gayshan has 13 years experience, including two years of experience with seaplanes, authorities said.

The plane is owned by ScintiTech of a Shirley, Mass., a company spokesman confirmed.

By late in the day, the plane, which sunk near Diamond Island, was being marked by state marine patrol buoys and lines, and divers from Dive Winnipesaukee in Wolfeboro were on their way to help salvage the plane..."We have one boat there and another on the way," said Don Grout of Dive Winnipesaukee, who estimated that it could take several hours for his divers to help salvage crews use air bags to float the plane to the surface of the lake. The operation was expected to be completed by Tuesday night, he said...dseufert@newstote.com..